The 9th Regular Session of FAOs Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (CGRFA) was held on 14-18 October 2002 at FAO Headquarters, Rome, Italy. The meeting tackled several issues related to agricultural biotechnology, such as Genetic Use Restriction Technologies (GURTs). It also considered a report on "The status of the draft Code of Conduct on Biotechnology as it relates to genetic resources for food and agriculture: Report of surveys of FAO Members and stakeholders". The Commission recognized the need to go ahead with the aim to maximize the positive effects of biotechnologies and minimize any potential negative effects or risks, and that the focus should be on biotechnologies related to genetic resources for food and agriculture and requested the Secretariat to prepare a study, in order to identify what is done in other forums, what remains to be done on the issues raised in the document, and which issues were relevant to FAO and in particular its Commission. The study "would help the Commission to identify issues on which it should concentrate in the future, with respect to a code, guidelines or other courses of action". The report of the meeting is now available. See http://www.fao.org/ag/cgrfa/docs9.htm or contact [email protected] for more information.

20/11/2002